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Fadnavis claimed that Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur has been given a clean chit by the NIA but Rahul Gandhi is still an accused who is out on bail.

File photo of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has defended criticism on BJP nominating Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur as the BJP candidate from Bhopal by saying that if Congress president Rahul Gandhi can contest elections despite being on bail, Sadhvi too can.

Fadnavis claimed in an exclusive interview to Network 18 that Sadhvi has been given a clean chit by the NIA but Gandhi is still an accused who is out on bail. “There can't be any discrimination in crimes. If Sadhvi is an accused, Rahul Gandhi is an accused too,” he said.

The Maharashtra CM's comments come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi too, said that fielding Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, as the BJP candidate from Bhopal was a symbolic answer to those who had described Hindu civilisation as “terrorist”.

Though Fadnavis supported Thakur’s candidature, he didn’t back her comments on late Hemant Karkare. “Hemant Karkare was a heroic officer. He sacrificed his life for the country. We don’t support Sadhvi’s statement,” he said.

Fadnavis also slammed the previous Congress government at Centre by alleging that they built a false narrative on Hindu terror. “There is no Hindu terror. There is no place for terror in Hinduism. Those who are terrorists are not Hindus,” he said.

The Maharashtra CM also took a dig at NCP chief Sharad Pawar. He said it was the biggest joke of the century if Pawar claimed that his party did not have money for campaigning. “I will have a hearty laugh before going to bed tonight,” he said on Pawar’s comment.

He also called Congress the B team of Pawar in Maharashtra.

“Congress-NCP should introspect why their young leaders want to work under Modi's leadership. The young turks of political dynasts in Maharashtra are getting attracted to BJP,” he said while taking a dig on Congress and NCP.

Talking about Priyanka Chaturvedi's entry in Shiv Sena on Friday, he said that she was trying to do right things at the wrong place. “Now, she is in the right place. Chaturvedi got disappointed after seeing the true nature of Congress, so she joined Shiv Sena,” he said while claiming the the former Congress leader will also campaign for BJP.

When asked about BJP’s alliance with Shiv Sena despite numerable instances of discontent between the two parties in the last few years, Fadnavis defended the tie-up saying it was a part of BJP's DNA. “Hindutva binds us together,” he added.

On being asked whether agricultural distress would affect BJP electorally, Fadnavis said that it won’t as people have seen the saffron party’s sincere efforts.

“There won’t be 2004-like situation in the country now. These are opposition’s Mungerilal ke hanseen sapne,” Fadnavis said.

On the nationalism debate, Fadnavis said, “Nationalism became an issue because Congress raised doubts about our soldiers’ sacrifices.”